Myschief's Musings

New outlook for a new year

2011-01-01T20:43:00.000-08:00

It's a new year, but I didn't have to tell you all that. Everyone, likely, for weeks has been discussing what their resolutions will be and what they hope to accomplish in the new year. It's the same scenario every year. Many of us make resolutions we never intend to keep. That's why, several years ago, I stopped even bothering to make any up. I just didn't see the point anymore.

For as long as I can remember, I've always been a pessimist. Once, my mom told me that when I was three, and we moved to California, I kept telling her that I would never make any new friends. (Unless I got that story wrong, but that's what I remember her saying). I have always found it hard to find the good in any situation and the glass is always half empty.

As I've gotten older, life has just made me more negative and cynical. Nowadays, instead of driving my mom nuts, I drive my husband nuts with all the negativity. There are people all around me, but I always feel lonely, depressed, and in the dark. Then, as I'm feeling bad about how I feel, I berate myself because I believe I am supposed to be joyful and optimistic. I have God in my life, so shouldn't that be enough? Shouldn't that make me content? I go around and around in my head. So what should I do?

I think about the verse that most people I know seem to like best, Philippians 4:13, "I am able to do all things through the one [Christ] who strengthens me." It seems, to me, people like to quote that verse and talk about glorious victories. And in some ways, it does. But, what if we back up a couple of verses? Verses 11 and 12 read, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance. I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing."

Paul was saying that Christ gave him the strength to be content in any circumstance, not just ones that led to a victory. He would be content no matter how long he went hungry or in need and he would be content when he was satisfied and had plenty. It seems that Christ gave him the strength to stay on an even keel. To keep him from depression when he was in the dark and to keep him from pride or arrogance when he felt on top of the world. I believe we could say that Christ gave him the strength to also die for Him. How many people think about that when they quote Philippians 4:13?

So back to my issue of being content. Yes, God does give me the strength to be content. But, as with all of the other "gifts" He give us, we have to accept it. I have to let go and let God in. I have to choose to accept what He has to offer. Every day, I have to choose to ask for His strength to move my mind and thoughts from the darkness and depression into the light and contentment.

Like choosing what to wear each morning; I have to get up and choose to put on the full armor of God. Because what happens in my mind is more than just my thoughts. There is always a war going on and I have to make the choice to stand and fight. As it says in Ephesians 6:10-17:

"Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. (11) Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. (13) For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. (14) Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, (16) and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (17) And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

So, as I get up each morning, I have to remind myself to choose. Choose to ask for His strength (pray). Choose to put on the armor (read my Bible). Choose to stand and fight--fight against the forces of evil and the thoughts that invade my mind. I know it will be a painful battle, marked by many scars. But in the end, all will be healed.

Lord, I ask you today, and every day, come. Come into my heart; knead it until it's soft. Come into my thoughts; sweep all the dirt away. Come into my life; turn up the light until it shines out Your glory. Mold me as the potter molds the clay. Help me to stop struggling against Your will. Remove the fears and insecurities that keep me walled in, away from everyone. Help me to understand Your will and the plans that you have for me. I cry out to You, "Come and save me! Make me Yours." I want to know You. I want to grow. I want to truly understand what it means to be Your child. Come and find your lost sheep. I humbly and painfully ask in Jesus' name. AMEN!

Self-Repair Manifesto

2010-11-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

Mwahahaha, I love tearing things apart! Recently, I got the chance to do a tear-down on a PB G4 to replace the DC & Sound Card. Thanks to ifixit.com, I am able to get free repair guides, parts, and tools to do repairs on a plethora of Macs. It is so much fun to be able to fix things myself.

The fun thing about being able to access repair guides is the fact that you don't have to be a trained technician to repair anything. The step-by-step instructions are always well-written and, if there's any errors or room for improvement, there's a community to keep them getting better.

You can see my tear-down pics here. I think it took about 2.5 hours from start to finish and I only had one left over screw (but I know where it goes, so I can go back and put it in later).

I encourage all of my brave friends to try and repair stuff before tossing it aside. If I had the time, and money, I'd love to take some actual tech classes and add to my computer knowledge. I love being able to fix things and also help out friends when I can.

Life is but a vapor

2010-10-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

Today, one of my neighbors, Dorothy, unexpectedly passed away; she just never woke up. What a reminder of how fragile life is and how we are never promised the tomorrows. She was a Christian, so I will rejoice that she is now with the Lord and cured of all her pains and illnesses. My family and I went by this evening to express our condolences and we were all talking about how she was out walking her dog last night.

It's a reminder to live for now and don't wait to do what needs doing; say what needs saying; and love all who come our way.

How many times have we all said, "I'll get around to it," or, "There's always tomorrow?" Even Little Orphan Annie sang that "the sun will come out tomorrow." Well, the sun may come out tomorrow, but we're not guaranteed to see it; Dorothy didn't see the sun today. Her plans to visit my church again soon won't happen. If I were to die tonight, I know there's much I would be leaving undone and unsaid.

Two Bible verses quickly come to mind, as I think about life.

Psalms 144:4 - People are like a vapor, their days like a shadow that disappears.

James 4:14 - You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes.

Life is but a vapor,

Fleeting and short,

Tomorrows are not promised,

So don't waste the todays,

Do it now, say it now,

Love with open arms.

Balancing Life

2010-06-15T21:38:00.000-07:00

Lately I've spent a lot of time thinking about the balance in my life, or lack thereof. There are so many things I want to accomplish and I don't know how I'll ever fit it all in. There are, of course, obligations I can't do anything about, such as work, which leave little time or energy for anything else. There are relationships that can't be ignored. The list goes on and on. Somewhere between all the "have-tos" are the "need-tos" and "want-tos" that I never get to.

I'm not sure how I'll ever figure out the proper balance of it all. There are days when I wish I would just unplug the TV, since that doesn't help matters any. I know that as soon as I sit down to watch "for a minute to relax" I won't get up again for a couple of hours. Many days I just feel tired and run down, and yet I have to try and keep going because dinner needs to be made and kids need putting to bed.

Among all the tiredness and business I'm supposed to find time to "Be still and know that He is God." When!? At four in the morning!? But I also know that therein lies the problem. If I could better center my life around Him then things would start to balance out because of it. The eternal priorities would become more apparent and the worldly things would seem less important. I know my stress level and tiredness would start to fall away and clarity would settle in. But, instead, I ride the constant merry-go-round of life and never stop to get off.

So I write about the frustrations and it goes a little like this:

Lost in the nothingness

Of day to day life

Trying to survive

Amidst all the strife.

Days roll along

There is no end

Broken life

Needing a mend.

Lost in the nothingness

Can't find my way

Of course, I got distracted or busy and didn't finish it. I'm sure I'll get to a point again and finish this one or start a new one. I really want to do more than survive, but I always feel caught and just hanging on for the ride as "Crazy Train" runs through the back of my mind.

Save Me!

2010-03-31T18:18:00.000-07:00

Hanging at the end of my rope

As the knot at the end unravels

I stretch out a hand...

Save me!

Pull me up

Before the abyss

Swallows me

I can't hold on any longer

I need to let go and

Turn my salvation over to you

You reach out

But I'm afraid to grab hold

How can I put my trust

In someone I don't know

Hanging by a thread

I no longer have the strength

To continue hanging on

I need you to...

Save me!

Pull me up

Before the abyss

Swallows me

I can't hold on any longer

I need to let go and

Turn my salvation over to you

Losing my grip

I finally reach out

You swoop me up

And make me yours

I wrote this shortly before becoming a Christian. Actually the final lines were written some time after the rest. When I originally wrote it, I couldn't decide on how it would all end. I was struggling with my path and hadn't made up my mind to follow Christ. Honestly, I still struggle to reach out and trust, but that's part of the journey. I know that all the "sad" songs will someday become worship songs as I break free of the past and move to the future. :-)

Today

2010-02-14T12:08:00.000-08:00

Today

Lord, I'm not feeling very Christian today,

my heart keeps getting in the way.

I'm neither patient nor kind,

and in me no where can I find,

the love You ask us all to display.

Lord, I'm not feeling very Christian today,

my actions keep getting in the way.

I put others down, walk with a frown,

and seem to constantly disobey.

Lord, I'm not feeling very Christian today,

my thoughts keep getting in the way.

I need to stop hiding from you,

being to myself untrue,

and finding excuses to not pray.

Greater Yes!

2010-01-26T21:20:00.000-08:00

"Nothing grows on mountaintops. The fertile ground is in the valleys--the trials, the slavery, and the pits--and it is there that we grow and blossom as Christians." (Finding your Greater Yes!, by Dr. Dan Erickson)

This is a quote from a book I'm currently reading. What a true statement it is about our lives. As I think about it in the context of my life, I find that I prefer the mountaintops to the valleys. There's always a great view, it's usually stress-free, and very quiet. Valleys, on the other hand, can be quite stormy and have their view limited by the mountains around them.

This book has made me think about what my "Greater Yes!" might be, though I'm still not sure. I just have this feeling that if I do figure it out, it's likely going to require me to come down from my comfortable mountaintop to pursue it. I'm afraid that going into the valley will mean I can't provide for my family or that we'll struggle more than we already do. (Okay, we don't really struggle as most families do, but it seems there's never money around when something goes wrong. There's money to pay the bills and no more.)

I do realize that I should trust in God to provide but, of course, that's a failing of my spirit. I'm sure my husband, Ken, would just tell me to pray on it but, of course, that's another failing of mine - I have no prayer life. There's the occasional prayer on a bad day but beyond that, I have no idea what to say.

Knowing me, my journey off the mountaintops will either be a long, steep trek or one quick, straight fall into the valley. No leisurely stroll into the unknown.

Crystal Wings

2009-12-21T19:09:00.000-08:00

Just for the heck of it, I thought I'd post the first lyrics that I ever wrote down. As a kid, I would make up lots of songs and sing, but didn't start writing them down until about sixth grade or so. These lyrics sprang from a short story I'd written around that time. They're a little silly, but hey I was a kid...lol.

Crystal Wings

Verse 1:

If I was a unicorn with a golden horn,

And could fly upon crystal wings.

I'd fly to my mysterious world,

And sing of all they joys that earth could bring.

Chorus:

||: And I could fly, I could fly upon crystal wings.

I could fly, I could fly upon crystal wings. :||

Verse 2:

My world is of unicorns and pegasi,

With many places to go.

I'd fly all around to find my friends,

And tell of all the love that's on earth.

Some Favorite New Testament Verses

2009-12-21T18:35:00.001-08:00

Time for a quick list of favorite New Testament verses.

But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:33-34
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8
For this reason I tell you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24
I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. John 15:15
Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. Romans 12:12 (This is my most favorite of all.)
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15
No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. Philippians 4:6
I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever! Hebrews 13:8
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. James 2:26
Above all keep your love for one another fervent, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Many Thanksgivings

2009-11-25T22:04:00.000-08:00

Though I can often be pessimistic in life (that's just my personality) I feel that there are many things to be thankful for this year. My family is generally in good health, mine and Ken's jobs are fairly stable, and our finances are comfortable. Much of the time I get caught up in the stresses of life and don't find time to appreciate the little things that come my way. I find myself pining after the latest Apple gear when what I have at home works well enough, even if it's a bit old, technologically speaking. I don't always appreciate my kid's unique personalities all the time and usually end up being more frustrated by them than anything. I dread the holidays because it means making room for a Christmas tree and cooking, when I can barely cook my way out of a Hamburger Helper box.

I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to change my general outlook, it seems to require more willpower than I have. If I had that kind of willpower I would have a good exercise program too and be much healthier (LOL). I don't really bother with New Year's Resolutions anymore, since I know how it will turn out. But anyways, enough of the downer stuff, below is a short list of things I need to remember to be thankful for:

My health,

My family's health,

I have a stable job (and can telecommute),

Ken has a stable job,

There is a roof over my head,

There is food in the refrigerator and cupboards,

I have clothes to wear,

The weather should be beautiful tomorrow,

My husband loves me,

My kids love me,

My pets love me (I think, LOL),

There are people that care about me and would miss me if I was gone,

I have a reliable car,

and the most important things to be thankful for.....

GOD AND JESUS LOVE ME! :-)

I hope everyone has a great and happy Thanksgiving and I hope you all have many things to be thankful for too.

The pitter patter of little feet

2009-11-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

While I may be talking about a baby, it's not the human type I'm referring to. We brought home a kitten to add to our family this weekend. After changing her name ten or so times, we decided on Ahsoka. I would love to say it's been fun, but the adjustment for all of us has been hard so far. We already have a cat here at home, Tare, and, of course, she was not happy to have a new addition. We brought Ahsoka home Saturday morning and she cried all day and all night long. Today has been the first day she hasn't cried a whole bunch. Tare still hisses and growls at her and it will probably be a while before she will accept Ahsoka as a part of the family. Ahsoka seems to be getting real attached to Ken. I picked her up earlier to pet her and, after a few minutes, she wandered over to where Ken was sitting and fell asleep on his lap. She is still a little skittish and will run and hide when you walk up to her. Hopefully, Tare will soon settle down as well and they will be good companions for those days when everyone is out all day at school and work.

The English Language

2009-09-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

This is just for fun. It was an email that I'm sure has been passed around tons of times. I have no idea who started it, but I thought it would be fun to post it here.

Reasons why the English language is so hard to learn:

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.

19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.

English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.

Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a Guinea Pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?

If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth?

One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese?

One index, 2 indices?

Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make Amends but not one amend. If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it? If teachers taught, why didn't Preachers praught?

If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a Humanitarian eat?

Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a Play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all.

That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick"

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

1. Boycott Shampoo! ...Demand REAL poo.

2. If you choke a smurf, what color does it turn?

3. Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.

4. Who is General Failure, and why is he reading my hard disk?

5. What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

6. I couldn't repair your brakes, but I made your horn louder.

7. Join the Army, meet interesting people, kill them.

8. If your name was Lipschitz, you'd change it too.

9. OK, so what's the speed of dark?

10. Black holes are where God divided by zero.

11. I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose.

12. Corduroy pillows... They're making headlines!

13. All those that believe in psychokinesis raise my hand.

14. How can you tell when you run out of invisible ink?

15. Laughing stock: Cattle with a sense of humor.

16. Support your right to bare arms! Wear short sleeves!

17. It's never a bad hair day if you're bald.

Some of my favorite Old Testament verses

2009-09-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

When I read the Bible, cover to cover, a few years ago, I noted those that stood out to me; those that personally spoke to me. Today, I am sharing ones from the Old Testament. I will share New Testament verses another day (and give you all something to look forward to....LOL). ;-)

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:29

The LORD said, Have I not set you free for their good? Have I not pleaded for you before the enemy in the time of trouble and in the time of distress? Jeremiah 15:11

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. Jeremiah 17:14

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. Lamentations 3:25

The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. Nahum 1:7

Back from vacation!

2009-08-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

What a fun week the family had! We went up to Washington state last week to visit relatives on my side of the family and some friends we hadn't seen for about 7 years. Also took the kids to Mt. St. Helens and the Johnson Ridge Observatory. The week went by fast.

It was great to see everyone (that was there) again. I was trying to surprise everyone, but I got surprised to find out some relatives were out of town. Boo hoo!

The hardest part of the trip was the driving. We decided to get up early in the morning and make the drives up and back in one shot, which took about 13 hours each way.

While it was great to see everyone again, I am glad to be home. The kids will be starting school tomorrow. Richard will be in sixth and Ashlynn in third. They are growing up fast.

If I get bored later, I'll try to upload more photos to my online album.

Zinio Personality Test

2009-07-08T22:31:00.001-07:00

The World of Tomorrow

2009-06-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a "blast from my past," a poem I wrote in high school...my senior year, I think.

THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

I sometimes wonder where I'm going

I sometimes wonder where I'll be

I try to see the future

But I forget the future is inside me

I have to believe that someday

I'll make it in the world

The cold world of tomorrow

I am tomorrow

And when I shine

I make the world a better place

There isn't far to go

I just have to look inside to see

The beautiful world of tomorrow

And tomorrow is me

I dream of sun and grass and trees

And flowers all a bloom

The sea and the life it holds

As clear as it can be

The wind,

As it whistles through the trees,

Tells me the air is clean

I saddle my horse and ride through the hills

Content to let the sun fall on my back

I'm thinking of my future

And I laugh

For my mind

Holds the secrets

That tells me who I am

And who I'm going to be

In the world of tomorrow

The future is me.

Cute, isn't it? I wish I had a horse, but doubt that I'll ever have the money or space to have one. Oh well...LOL. I found this in a folder with some other poetry and stories I kept from my high school years. I'll have to get them scanned or typed into my computer for safe keeping.

Motions Resolution

2009-06-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

To save anyone the trouble and curiosity, below is my "Motions Resolution" that I posted on the Matthew West web site (see previous blog entry).

"I've been fighting within my heart too long, refusing to fully give it to God and surrender the way the Bible describes. I've been afraid to release control and give it to Him, because I've been hurt before by others in control (who hasn't?) and that makes it harder. I really feel that's part of the reason that I have such a hard time with prayer. It requires the right kind of heart and mind and I've just been telling everyone that it's my "weak spot" to work on. When, in reality, I'm avoiding it altogether. I guess it's time I get down to business and quit avoiding what I know I need to do."

The Motions

2009-06-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how songs can reflect the feelings of so many of us. Take "The Motions" by Matthew West. His lyrics speak of how he doesn't want to just cruise through life and just "go through the motions." He sings about living the passion that we're designed for. Aww forget it....he says it better than I could sum up. Go here to read about it and hear the song. If it speaks to your heart, you can buy it on iTunes...like I did. :-)

I always wonder how we can easily get caught up in useless things in our lives (TV, for example) and let important things go undone and unsaid. How we can left loved ones go unloved and our pets uncared for because were too busy doing nothing. I hadn't really thought much about it until I ran across an interesting site that gave "Ten Financial Reasons To Turn Off Your TV." It was really an interest read and then, I got caught up in reading some of the other articles posted there. Oops...yes, the internet can get classified as useless too, if you're just floating around there and not doing something specific.

I think I may start claiming one day a week "screen-free" and turn off TVs, video games, and computers. That way my family and myself can focus more on each other and doing things that engage our minds (and sometimes bodies) and start living life more.

With the time that can easily get eaten up in front of a screen, it's really no wonder I feel like I never get anything done, chores or otherwise. It sucks time and passion from my life (and yours too, I bet). Maybe finding the quiet time I need to establish a time for prayer and connecting with God is as simple as turning off the TV a little earlier each night and devote that time to God. I think I'll back over to Matthew's site and make my "Motions Resolution" right now.

God bless you everyone and I hope that you do more than go through "The Motions" in your life. ;-)

FanimeCon 2009 Rocked!

2009-05-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

I definitely had fun this past Memorial Day weekend enjoying FanimeCon in San Jose, CA. This was the convention's 15th Anniversary. I've probably gone for 13 or so of them and I can remember when it was at Los Altos College during the early years.

It's come a long way since then, but continues to be a wonderful convention for those who enjoy Japanese anime and manga (cartoons and comics, respectively). There are tons of rooms showing anime and live action shows, panels with special guests covering a wide range of topics related to anime and manga, and a dealer's room with tons of merchandise to buy. The plush "onigiri" in the picture above is one such item I bought this year. There are also tons of people dressed in "cosplay" (costume play) of their favorite characters. There are some real cheezy outfits, but the majority of people put a lot of time and effort into their costumes and they are always a joy to see at the convention. I used to take lots of pictures, but these days, I just enjoy what I see and don't spend as much time "collecting" pictures of the various cosplay characters seen.

Fanime has been a family tradition and our kids, now 7 and 10, love going every year. They've been attending since before they were born (lol)!

I highly recommend to those who have never attended to check it out next year and see how much fun you have.

Bonanzling my way to a clutter-free house

2009-05-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I've lately gotten sick of eBay's attitude towards its sellers. Since they removed the ability for sellers to give [deserved] negative feedback to buyers, I've had more unpaid items in these last few months than since I started selling a few years ago. It's a shame. So, I'm trying out a new site, Bonanzle, and hoping that I have better luck there. I like how it's set up. Each seller has a "booth" where they list their items. It's like having a virtual store. I like that better than have week-long auctions that have to be relisted all the time, which incurs more fees. This "booth" is free to set up and listing is free. The selling fees, so far, are much less than eBay.

I'm looking forward to seeing how it all goes. Please check out the items I have for sale. New stuff added at least once per week (I have tons of totes in the garage with stuff to sell). My booth can be found here.

Thank you everyone!

RETREAT!!!

2009-05-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a weekend women's retreat at Mount Hermon, CA. It was the first time I've gone to one AND the first time I've been away from the hubbie and kids for more than a few hours. I went with a couple of friends, Ronda and Melissa, and met many interesting women along the way. It was a great time and a "me" break that was long overdue. I enjoyed myself immensely.

The guest speaker, Marcy Pederson, was wonderful. Her message touched the hearts of many women, myself included. I haven't written many poems or lyrics in a while, but I kicked out two sets of lyrics this weekend! I shared the first one with Marcy who, in turn, wanted to share it with everyone else. What a blessing that was! I'm glad that my lyrics were also able to touch others. I've posted the lyrics in a separate blog entry. The other lyrics I wrote later that weekend are posted in this blog entry.

Marcy's message, "Safe in the potter's hands," has given me much to think about as it relates to the pains I endured during childhood. I'm hoping that if I can change the perspective of how I feel about the past, that maybe I can change to a more positive outlook for the present and future. (I'm currently a negative, pessimistic cynic, but don't want to stay that way. It's the "rut" issue.)

I look forward to continuing my blog and hope that this is also a way to help me grow.

God bless!

Rain On My Heart

2009-05-03T06:49:00.000-07:00

Crying again

Can't remember when

The last time my heart knew joy

I've hidden away

The pain felt today

No longer want to be an object, a toy

Lord, rain on my heart

Wash it clean

Give my life a new start

I want to be seen

Doing my part

Lord, rain on my heart

Joyous day, I see the Son

For me, the battle's won

The rain on my heart

Is a joyous song

Of the plan He's had all along

Lord, rain on my heart

Wash it clean

Give my life a new start

I want to be seen

Doing my part

Lord, rain on my heart

The Purpose in the Pain

2009-05-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

God, please take these pains

And heal my heart

Make me whole

I've hid them away

Down deep for so long

Please help me to let them go

I know there's a purpose

In the pains you've sent my way

I know there's a purpose

And I'll be thankful, starting today

God, please show me the path

That these pains have prepared

Give me strength of heart

For there'll come a time

When your plan is revealed

And I'll understand my part

I know there's a purpose

In the pains you've sent my way

I know there's a purpose

And I'll be thankful, starting today

This should be fun!

2009-04-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I love technology and am going to enjoy trying my hand at blogging. I had a smaller one on Yahoo 360, but just never got around to using it. I'm hoping I can find the time to at least post something new once a week. This blog, I hope, will become a mix of what's up, what's down, favorite Bible versus, and various insights. Maybe even a poem or two. Hence, Myschief's Musings. :-)

I've also started trying out a new web site for selling my old stuff from the garage. It can be found here. Go and take a look. I'll be posting stuff periodically for sale, after I get my digital camera fixed. I'm not quite sure how I broke the lens mechanism. Oh well.

Well, thanks for reading and I hope to add more entries in the future and on a regular basis.

Take care and God bless!